The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-09
HOW GLEN COMMITTED SUI
eide.


Sit down and quiet yourself and then
tell me what's the matter
That's the way / talked to Glenn
short for Clemence-Alburtisa as / took
him by the arm one day when be rushed
wild eyed and thick speeched into my
Office, and seated him on the lounge.
Doc" he said in helpless tone
my profession is that of physician
'1'm crazy. l can't collect my thoughts,
and the pain in my head drives me
mad"
Il know it." / said. I've told you it
would be so many times. You have n
buzzing in the ears, black spectres float
ing before the eyes, and"
Yes! Yesl that's it Nervous
twitches of the muscles of the face and
numbness of the limbs and"
depression of mind and melan-
cholia," l went on.
"a disposition to suicide" he almost
shouted. Il feel it almost necessary to
commit suicide. Doc, what'n l doP
How'll l stop it? Eh? How'll 1 keep
from blowing out my brains?''
''Nonsense" l said, angrily. Don't
talk to me about brains. If you 90 on
the way you're going now you won't
days. You'll be in the lunatic asylum,
as brainless as born idiot"
Il know it! | know ltr' and Glenn
wrung his hands wildly and endeavored
to spring from the lounge, but 1 forced
him back into his seat.
'.And so | am determined to put an
end to my life at once. God bless you!
Good-byi l can't endure this agony any
l<N,.<r I,
effort to rise.
''Sit stillr' l thundered out, now al
most angry myself, ''or I'll send for the
police, and have you committed to the
Charities and Corrections, to be exam
ined as a lunatic. Now, do you really
want to be cured of this attack of tee
zeeweezees you've gotP
yes" he said, little more calmly,
finding he had superior power to con-
tend with.
"Very well, then, give up all book
work. Lay aside pens, ink and paper,
go into the country. fish, walk into the
woods. feed the chickens, do anything
but don't read anything but trash for
two months, and, above all, don't think
of anything scientific until next winter
without my permission"
But what's to become of my paper
on The Origin of the MegatheriumP'
I'm to read it before the Fe Fl Fo Fun
Society on the 18th of next month, you
know, and it isn't half done yet"
''Confound your megatheriumsr'
exclaimed, angrily. IF you want to
barter your life, or what you have left of
your senses, for a megatherium, why
take your megatheriums and do it, but
don't come bothering me about your
symptoms. l tell you that you must
have complete mental and physical
diversion or you'll be a lunatic or q
dead man in month"
'.And drop my book on The Puerility
of Prehistoric Power?" said Glenn,
mournfully.
'Drop every book, written and un-
written, and write not line but an oc-
casional letter until tell you that you
may"
| The poor fellow buried his face in his
| hands and sat the picture of despair, but
| knew l was right. Clem had gradu-
ated from college with high honors and
gone to the bar with high hopes, when
suddenly his mind had, somehow, be-
! come diverted to science. in which, un-
fortunately, he could afford to indulge
| from the fact that he possessed q small
| but comfortable income, left him by his
| grandmother, so that law could be
made only an ornamental part OF his
| life
More than this, he was q remarkably
handsome fellow, and, outside of his
| scientific studies, possessed more than
ordinary common sense. The fact was,
he had overdone the matter, and be
was suffering, accordingly, from in
somnia and over brain work. Entire
and complete cessation from study was
| his only hope. Just as | had told him
this there came gentle tap at my door,
and to my summons of it s'Come," it
opened and two ladies entered-one.
! Miss Martha Megrims, an old maid OF
| sixty-five, my patient, with nothing at
all the matter with her but the want OF
exercise and employment, and who
would not wait for me to call on her.
but hunted me down with her means
and troubles daily. Her companion
was her niece Lillian. and 'tairy, fairy
Lillian" she was. a more beautiful lit
tie creature | never saw, and never ex-
pect to see again. and as good as she
was pretty.
/ Their coming just then embarrassed
me exceedingly. l could not disfnis:
Miss Megrims, and | must bear with
her usual half hour of groans anc
grunts for which | was so well remun
Grated, and, at the same time, did no
dare to let Glenn go. for knew he wa
| in dangerous condition of mind, ant
/ was afraid that he might carry out hi!
threat Introducing him and bringing
him into our conference was out of tbs
question, and there was but one way 70
it, which was to stuff him into my littlI
back room, from whence there was M
escape but by a skylight or the doc
which led into the office.
This turned on him to do wher
!. / saw that he had risen from tn
lounge. and was standing. as one en-
tranced. gazing on Miss Lillian Brow
with most unmistakable look of ad
miration. which / fancied was returne,
shyly by the young lady.
, .sClenl. you'll oblige me if you'll stel
| into the next room for a few minutes, y
said; ..I'll soon be disengaged-"
Certainly, certainly" he said, NOV
ing slowly across the Office, bowling +
the two ladies as he went, but not shu;
: ting the door after him on his disap
: pearance, so that he could hear all tha
might be said. This was not much tha
could entertain or instruct him, cor
sisting only of the old woman's usua
| reeounting of the maladies which sh
could not have had if she had been poo
/ and obliged TO walk instead of ride, an
; the occasional musical tones of Lillian
answering my questions or encouragini
her aunt Over quarter Of an hou
I was passed in this way, which woul
/ have been longer had not Lillian, know
: ing that had Glenn in the other room
| waiting for me, hurried Miss Megrin
; | away.
.Who is that, Doc?n said Glenn, eas
| erly, as he rushed back into the room q
= soon as the Office door had closed on th
ladies'
j .That is the rich Miss Megrims,
Z said. s.Sne's got more money tina
she's got time to spend it in, and
+ plays sick. :"
..Oh. pshawr' he said petulantly. .
|. don't mean the old one
ssAh. that's her niece and supposabl
heiress. Miss Lillian Brownr' / replied
= carelessly. ..She's rather pretty
..Rather pretty!' he almost shouted
I "By the great ichthyosaurus, sir, she
! lovely ly-simply lovely. never saw AM
9 thing more beautiful in my entire exis
It ence."
e .-Goner' thought to myself n
brain has given away, : and 1 took poS